等一个人的送别

等一个人的送别

“我希望每一个远行的人在回归时都能发现有人在等候着他们。我也希望他们在离开前都会有人为他们送行。”

by anonymous

翻译：寒星

文字难度·

I am sitting at an airport watching people in the final moments before their loved ones arrive or leave. They are1）pacing， nervous， looking at one another， touching and not touching.

A woman， speaking Spanish， is running in circles trying to gather family members together for a goodbye. When the final moment comes before2）boarding， she3）wraps her arms around her son， giving him a powerful hug that should protect him until he returns.

1） pace ［peɪs］ v. 踱步 2） board ［bɔːd］ v. 上（飞机、船等） 3） wrap ［ræp］ v. 缠绕

A grandmother and grandson stand at the4）rail where I am waiting； the people who are supposed to pick them up are late. Two ladies， next to them but5）unrelated， look up and down the6）corridor as if7）scanning an open sea. A mother holds a baby as she kisses her husband. Tears flows down her cheeks. The moment is8）charged.

At Gate 13， the arrivals are just coming in. “I see her. There she is.” Just as touching， the arrivals fold into the mix of people as if they have been the missing9）ingredient. There are tears and smiles，pure happiness ringing in the laughter of seeing someone who has been gone.

I sit，10）glancing at my book， waiting for my turn to leave， alone because the ones I love have a different11）schedule from mine， and the one I am going to see， my daughter， is at the other end of my journey.

Today my flight is two hours late. The book I am reading is not as interesting as the people leaving and coming， coming and leaving. A little boy about five is meeting his grandfather for the first time. He looks up and down at the face of a man who is not that tall， except to a child. Joy shines down and up， and I am wondering how one would12）capture this moment in words or on film.

When my flight is finally called， I gather my books and13）carry-on. Since there is no one to see me off， I do not look back to see where I have come from. Instead，I think of my husband at work wondering if I have left yet， and my daughter at the other end wondering the same thing. As I head toward the plane， I find myself remembering yet another arrival and departure. When I was a14）newlywed， my 91-year-old grandfather died. We had been very close， and one evening， returning from his15）funeral， I arrived at the airport crying. My husband of only a year was waiting at the gate to take me in his arms. Because of my tears， everyone was looking at us， but I didn’t care.

Life needs to be this important all the time. I wish all the people who went on a journey could come back to find someone waiting for them. I also wish they could leave with someone to see them off. I think of my grandfather and realize that if dying is like this， a passage， then I am unafraid.

4） rail ［reɪl］ n. 围栏

5） unrelated ［ʌnrɪ'leɪtɪd］ adj. 无关的

6） corridor ［'kɒrɪdɔː］ n. 走廊，通道

7） scan ［skæn］ v. 细看，扫描

8） charged ［'tʃɑːdʒd］ adj. 充满感情的

9） ingredient ［ɪn'griːdɪənt］ n. 成分，因素

10） glance ［glɑːns］ v. 扫视，匆匆一看

11） schedule ［'skedjuːl］ n. 时间表，日程安排

12） capture ［'kæptʃə］ v. 捕获，记录

13） carry-on 手提行李，随身行李

14） newlywed ［'njʊlɪwed］ n. 新婚的人，新婚夫妇

15） funeral ［'fjuːnərəl］ n. 葬礼

参考译文

我正坐在机场里，看着人们等待所爱的人抵达或者离去。这是重逢或离别前的最后时刻了。他们来回踱步，紧张不安，相对而望，间或触摸一下对方。

一个说西班牙语的女人正一圈圈地跑着，试图让家人们围到一起道别。登机前的最后一刻来临时，她伸出双臂环抱她的儿子，给了他一个强有力的拥抱，足以守护他直到他回归。

一对祖孙站在我正在候机的围栏边，本该来接他们的人迟到了。两位与他们素不相识的女士站在他们旁边，朝通道那边上下张望，仿佛在扫视一片空旷的大海。一位母亲手里抱着宝宝与丈夫吻别，泪珠从她的两颊滑落。这一刻，情感满溢。

13号闸门迎来了刚抵达的乘客。“我看到她了。她在那儿。”同样令人触动的是，抵达的乘客融入到了等候的人群中，仿佛他们就是人群中缺少的一部分一样。这里有热泪，也有欢声笑语，久别重逢的笑声中回响着纯粹的快乐。

我安坐着，瞟了一眼手里的书，等待着送我离开的航班。我独自一人，是因为我和我所爱的人有不一样的时间安排。而我正要去见的人—我的女儿，正在旅程的终点等着我。

今天，我的航班延误了两个小时。我所看的书不及来来往往的人们有趣。一个约五岁大的小男孩第一次与他的祖父见面。男孩上下打量着祖父的脸，这个男人并不高，但对于小孩而言已经足够高大了。四周闪耀着喜悦的光芒，我猜想着人们会如何用文字或者影像来记录下这一幕。

广播终于播报了我的航班，我收拾好书籍和随身行李。因为没有人来送行，我并没有回头看我进来的方向。相反，我想到了正在工作的丈夫是不是在想我出发了没，而另一边的女儿是否也在想着同样的事情。当我走向飞机时，我回想起另一次重逢和离别的场景。在我新婚时，91岁的祖父去世了。我们十分亲密，从他的葬礼回来的那一晚，我是哭着抵达机场的。与我结婚刚满一年的丈夫在闸门口等着给我拥抱。我当时泪流满面，大家都在看着我们，可是我一点儿都不在乎。

人生总是需要这般举足轻重的时刻。我希望每一个远行的人在回归时都能发现有人在等候着他们。我也希望他们在离开前都会有人为他们送行。我忆起我的祖父，领悟到如果死亡也是如此，就像走入一条过道，那么我也就不会害怕了。

离别祝福

● With best wishes for your safe arrival！

祝你一路平安！

● Wish you a pleasant journey！

祝你旅途愉快！

● All my best wishes for a nice voyage！

祝你一帆风顺！

● May you have the best of luck in San Francisco.

愿你在旧金山会有好运。

● Wish you the happiest journey and we look forward to your return in the near future.

祝你旅途愉快，盼望在不久的将来你能再回来。

● I hope everything goes well with you！

愿你一切顺利！

Someone Waiting